Becoming A Ghostwriter

What you Need to Know About Becoming a Ghostwriter

If you’ve ever dreamed of making a living from writing, then you need to investigate ghostwriting. While many people dream of becoming a wealthy, best-selling novelist, the truth is that very few people ever attain that level. Even very good writers need to supplement their fiction efforts with a little ghostwriting. Ghostwriting can be a fun and lucrative way to make a living.

What is a ghostwriter?

A ghostwriter is a skilled writer who is paid to write under another person’s name. The writing may be a speech, a blog post, a website article, a magazine article, an e-book, or even a novel. A variety of people use ghostwriters, including politicians, celebrities, small business owners, ad agencies, and website and blog administrators.

How does it work?

Essentially, ghostwriters write what their clients want them to write. It’s important with ghostwriting to get a sense of the client’s “voice” and what they want to be included in the text. For example, if they have an existing blog to which they want to add new posts, the writer would be smart to read through a number of existing posts to be able to match the style and voice.

How do I become a ghostwriter?

The only thing that good ghostwriters have in common is their excellent command of the language and their ability to write in a variety of styles. Where to look for ghostwriting jobs depends on what type of ghostwriting you’d like to concentrate on. Jobs for digital content are generally listed via content platforms, such as Writer Access and Crowd Content, or on job boards, like the ProBlogger job board. If you’re interested in ghostwriting for a celebrity, it’s best to work with a literary agent.

How do I build a resume to land better writing assignments?

As with any type of job, the more experience you have, the better and more lucrative jobs you can expect to land. A website that highlights your experience and includes links to examples of your writing that are available online is a good way to showcase your writing skills. Just be careful not to compromise any non-disclosure agreement you might have signed with your ghostwriting clients. You might also create a portfolio with printed copies of your ghostwriting projects that you can share in person with prospective clients and/or literary agents.

What kind of money can I expect to earn?

Compensation for ghostwriting projects varies widely depending on the type of project, the length of the writing, and the estimated time that the writer will spend researching and writing the project. For example, a ghostwritten blog post that takes the writer less than an hour to complete will pay somewhere between $30 and $100, on average. On the other end of the scale, a ghostwriter who pens books under celebrity names and works with a prominent literary agent can expect to earn an advance of between $40,000 to $70,000 per book.

Ghostwriters can be paid by the hour, by the word, by the page, or on a flat-fee basis.

What sort of things should I put in the contract?

Again, what to include in a ghostwriting contract depends on the type and scope of the project. However, every contract should outline when the project is due or if there are intermediate deadlines. It should also spell out compensation for the writer and the details of what is expected of the writer. A contract should also address who owns the copyright on the finished project. For ghostwriting projects the client generally holds the copyright.

A person hiring a ghostwriter will also usually want a confidentiality clause in the contract, meaning that the writer can’t talk about the project to people outside the company he or she is working with.

Ghostwriting can be a lucrative and enjoyable way to earn a living. While your name won’t become famous for your writing, you’ll have an opportunity to work with a variety of interesting people and test your skill with a variety of writing styles and writing projects.

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